Always
by maggie-joyce
Summary: Lauren left Charming ten years ago, but when she gets a call from her best friend saying her ex-boyfriend needs her help she is dragged back into the Charming lifestyle. Opie/OC
1. Always

_Tell me more than what you can guess, feel like thunder than quick to forget. Always looking for what is not yet. Always. - Blind Pilot_

He remembers the first time he saw her and the last. He remembers the way she always smelled like she had just stepped out of a summer filled with coconuts. He remembers the way her big blue eyes looked at him with such love, and the way they looked at him with such uncertainty towards the end. He remembers taking her virginity. He remembers every single thing about her. Although sometimes he wished he didn't. He especially remembers the day she broke his heart and left.

He didn't know the date and couldn't tell you the day of the week if he tried. He probably couldn't even tell you his middle name at this point. He was about to have to bury his wife and all he wanted to do was drink himself into oblivion. This was not how his life was supposed to be at age thirty.

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><p>She remembers the first time she had ever laid eyes on him. She was seven. She remembers the last time. She was eighteen. She remembers all of the tattoos and scars she used to trace on he chest when they laid in bed together at night. She remembers the way he always smelled like grease and cigarette smoke. She remembers every damn thing about him. However most of the time she wished she didn't. She clearly remembers the day she broke his heart along with her own and left.<p>

The days were all starting to collide together since she had gotten wind of what happened back in Charming. Her father and best friend had both called begging her to come home and try to help get him out of his funk. She had reluctantly agreed saying she needed a change of scenery, Seattle was too gray anyway. She looked in her rear view mirror as she drove by the _Welcome to Charming _sign and glanced momentarily at the faint bruise that encompassed her right eye. This was not how her life was supposed to be at age twenty seven.

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><p>She didn't remember much about her own mother, when she was seven she dropped her off at the Teller-Morrow garage, told her to go find her father and never looked back. She didn't even give her a last name to help her seven year old self find her supposed father, but the second Gemma saw her it didn't take long for her to put two and two together and run out into the garage to get Clay.<p>

"Holy shit," he exclaimed when he laid eyes on the little girl in front of him surrounded by two big pink suitcases, "I'll go get him."

When he walked into the office at first he thought it was a joke that some broad was playing on him, but when he rounded the corner and saw the little girl now sitting on her suitcase looking at her little fingers the smile dropped from his face. And when the little girl looked up at him with her big blue eyes he felt like the wind had been knocked out of him. Even though she had sandy blonde hair, those eyes were unmistakable. They were his own.

He didn't know how to be a father and especially didn't know how to raise a little girl but everyday of his life he thanked God for what his scumbag ex-wife left on his door step. He also thanked God that she would grow up in the presence of Gemma Teller-Morrow.

"Tig, you're gonna have to buy a new house. The one you're in now is just too small," Gemma whispered in his ear his only response being an absently minded nod, his eyes never leaving the little girl before him.

He walked over to the little girl kneeling in front of her, "Lauren, do you know who I am?" Her eyes went wide at the sound of his voice and she slowly nodded her head.

"Dad."

A smile cracked on his tan face before he engulfed her in a big hug, "You're home baby, you're home."

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><p>She had been away for nearly ten years and virtually nothing had changed about the garage she thought to herself as she pulled into the lot throwing her car into park. She gave herself one last look over before sliding sunglasses over her bruised eye and got out of the car.<p>

"Damn look at this chick coming in," Juice whistled watching the tall dark haired girl walk closer to the group in the garage.

"Shut up you idiot," Jax said hitting him on the chest and started walking out in the sun light to greet her. "Darlin' you've been away for too long."

She couldn't help but smile at the sound of his voice and he pulled back from hugging her and looked her up and down, "What's with the dark hair?"

Jax had always known her to have hair only a few shades darker that his own, but now her hair was almost jet black falling at the middle of her back. "I don't know I got bored and just did it on a whim. I think it makes me look more like my dad."

She paused for a second looking around the lot, "Speaking of which where is he?"

"In the clubhouse with Clay," Jax gave her another hug and started back for the garage, "Ren you back for good?"

She smiled, "If you'll have me."

"I'm happy you're back. Ope will be too."

The smile on her face faded, "I don't know about that."

"He will. Now go find your dad before he kills me for seeing you first."

The clubhouse was just like the garage. The same. There were a few more mug shots up on the wall but for the most part it looked exactly how she had left it. She could hear muffled voices behind the chapel doors and lightly knocked on it waiting to be let in.

"Come in." She could hear Clay say and she started to open the heavy doors.

"Hi," was all Lauren was able to get out when she saw the men before her their eyes going big, Clay's jaw dropping. Tig jumped out of his seat after a moment of shock and engulfed her into a giant hug.

"You're home baby, you're home." He whispered in her ear, just like he had twenty years earlier.

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><p><strong>an: sooo here's the dealio this idea just came to me and I'm actually kind of in love with it so I'm hoping there are some of you that are in love with it too. Sorry that it's so short, but it is the first chapter so I thought of it as more of a preview chapter to establish a little bit of back ground! and for those of you who read Human don't worry I'll be uploading a new chapter before you know it. But GO REVIEW right meow and tell me what you think!**


	2. Forever Gold

**a/n: Hi everybody this is just a short little note, the rest will be at the end. Just so there is no confusion we're now going back in time into Opie and Lauren's past!**

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><p><em>We're standing in a light that won't fade, tomorrow's coming but this won't change. Cause some days stay forever gold.- The Wanted.<em>

"Can I tell you something?" Lauren asked sitting down next to Jax out on the picnic bench outside the garage.

"Of course," Jax lit a cigarette and looked at her brushing her sandy blonde hair out of her eyes.

"I think, no I know I really like Opie," Lauren looked down nervously, fiddling with the rings on her hand.

"No shit?" Jax laughed at her statement. Of course she liked Opie, Jax might have been a blonde but in no way was he dumb. He and Tara had seen the looks that Opie and Lauren would shoot each other whenever they all went out. And God help Jax if it was just him and Opie working in the garage, he wouldn't shut up about Lauren.

"Jax I'm being serious-"

"I know you are Ren," Jax cut her off, "Did you ever think that maybe you should be telling Opie this instead of me?"

"My dad would kill him."

"Yeah probably." Jax laughed again at her worried eyes, "But I think you're jumping the gun a little on that one.

"Do you think he likes me too? Like more than just a friend?"

"Lauren I know he does."

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><p>"Lauren I just wanted to tell you that as much as I value our friendship-" Opie cut himself off looking into the mirror in his dorm room, "Lauren I like you more than a friend. Fuck."<p>

Opie took a step back from the mirror as Jax entered his room, "Hey man, so guess who I just got done talking to?"

"I don't really have time for this Jax, I have to get ready."

"For what?" Jax asked confused.

"I'm going out to dinner tonight with Lo, I haven't showered yet or anything."

"You're finally gonna say something to her tonight?" Jax couldn't help but smile at his friends finally realizing their feelings for each other.

"Yeah, I think it's about time," Opie smiled at his best friend.

"What about Tig?"

"I'll cross that bridge when I get there."

Jax got up and headed for the door, "Good luck man."

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><p>Opie had just thrown his shirt on when he heard the knock on his door.<p>

"Hey," Lauren stood leaning against the door frame, her hair pulled off her face and into a high ponytail, "You ready to go?"

"Yeah let's hit it. Bike or truck?"

Lauren contemplated for a minute and then a grin spread across her face, "Bike, definitely bike."

He loved this feeling more than anything in the whole wide world. He loved her pressed up against his back, her face buried into his shoulder, and her arms wrapped tightly around his waist. However, tonight he felt like she was pressed up against him closer, her head closer to his neck rather than his shoulder, and her arms tighter than usual. And then she made her fatal move, she moved one of her hands from his waist and placed it on his thigh. That's when Opie knew that what he was planning on telling Lauren tonight was the right move. At almost twenty years old he knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with the younger girl behind him.

When they pulled up to their favorite diner he helped her steady herself when she climbed off the bike, her hand lingering on his shoulder, whispering a thank you as he got off.

"I'm so glad you wanted to go here, I feel like it's been forever," Lauren said sliding into her side of the booth. And it had been forever, Opie and Jax, although no longer prospects, had been stuck doing bitch work for the club the past few weeks and he had hardly gotten a chance to see her.

"Yeah, it has been," Opie looked down at the menu nervously, "You look good. You dating any of the guys at school?"

Lauren laughed lightly, "You know I'm not Ope."

"I was just checking," Opie replied as the waitress walked over to their table.

"Hey kids, you want the usual?" Opie and Lauren nodded and waited to begin talking again until the waitress made her way back to the kitchen.

"You still talking to Donna?" Lauren countered his previous question with her own. Opie and Donna has been talking on and off since high school, but Opie always insisted that it was nothing serious, that he was waiting for someone else.

"Nah. I broke it off for good besides she doesn't like the club," Lauren nodded and watched the waitress set down their root beers before headed back off.

"How come you didn't invite Jax and Tara tonight?"

"I just wanted to spend sometime with you," Lauren felt her cheeks instantly redden.

"I wish you and Jax had a little more free time, I miss hanging out with you guys. I miss you." Lauren ran a hand over the top of her ponytail, smoothing down invisible hairs. The food came and the pair talked about everything but the growing sexual tension between the two of them.

"Am I dropping you off at the clubhouse or at home?"

"Home," Lauren said buckling the helmet under her chin and then climbed on his bike wrapping one arm around his waist, the other finding it's way to his thigh again.

It was a quick ride over to her house and before Opie even realized it he was pulling up in her driveway and she was climbing back off his bike.

"I had a good time tonight Ope," Lauren handed him his spare helmet and straighten out her top, turning to walk up to her house but was stopped when Opie's hand snapped out and grabbed her wrist.

"I need to tell you something," Opie got off his bike and watched Lauren's eyes open wide, "I've been meaning to tell you this all night. Lo, I can't do this, I can't be your friend."

Lauren furrowed her brows in confusion, "What are you talking about?"

"I like you Lo, more than like you and I can't just be your friend. I have to have more. I need to have more."

Before he knew what was going on her lips were on his, his hands cupping her face, and her hands playing with the hem of his shirt. Her lips were soft, even softer than he had imagined and she smelled like coconut and tasted of root beer. He could feel her smiling against his lips and he couldn't help but smile right back at her. She placed her hands on his chest and pulled away from him.

"You want to be more than friends?" Lauren bit her lip, holding back a small smile.

Opie couldn't help but grin at her flushed face and how her pony tail had fallen lower on her neck, "Only if you want to."

"You have no idea how long I've been waiting for this," Lauren took a step towards Opie, putting her hands in the back pockets of her jeans, "Do you want to come in?

"Lauren-"

She shook her head causing her pony tail to loosen even further, "Not like that, jeez Ope what kind of girl do you think I am? I just meant to spend some more time together."

Opie didn't respond, instead he grabbed her hand and led them to her front door.

"What took you so long?" Lauren asked sitting down on the couch next to Opie, "I mean why now? Was seventeen you're lucky number?"

"Lo, I just didn't know how to tell you," Opie moved a piece of her now down hair out of her eyes.

"Are we gonna tell my dad?"

He shrugged, "He's gonna want to kill me Lauren, I've seen the shit he has put those other guys you have brought around through."

"Yeah but none of those other guys have been patched into the same club as him," She scooted closer on the couch to him, her knees almost in his lap, "But if you don't want to tell him or anyone right away that's fine, we can just take it slow."

"I don't want you to think that you're my dirty little secret."

"I know I'm not Opie. And whenever the time is right I'll tell my dad and he's just gonna have to deal with it because there is no way I'm letting you go." Lauren rested her elbow on his shoulder and began running her fingers through his short hair.

"Can you promise me something?" Opie turned his head and looked her dead in the eyes as she nodded, "If for some reason one day you wake up and decide this isn't working out, will you at least come to me first so I can try and fix it and not run from it?"

"I promise," Lauren whispered in his ear and then placed a kiss on his lips, "I promise because I have a feeling that this, me and you, is going to be for the long run."

His lips captured hers again as he mumbled, "Yeah it is babe, yeah it is."

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><p><strong>an: so here is chapter two! I'm sorry it took so long to update school's been a killer. Thanks to all who alerted, faved and reviewed I was blown away by y'all's response. If you read Human I updated it a few days ago so check that out too. so GO REVIEW right meow!**


	3. Somebody I Used to Know

_Have your friends collect your records and then change your number. I guess that I don't need that though. I guess you're just somebody that I used to know. -Gotye_

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><p>"I said you can be careful and I'll be the reckless one, I get my heart broke but someday I'll find love," He could hear her voice from the front porch of her house, when he walked her back was facing him, her fingers dancing along the piano keys in front of her, "Maybe I'm reckless, please stop this because I hate when you play with me."<p>

She stopped playing when she heard him clapping from the doorway, she instantly blushed.

"That's real good Lo, it sounds beautiful," He came and sat down next to her on the piano bench.

"Thank you," Lauren tilted her head upwards, her lips meeting his, "What are you doing here? I thought you'd be in the garage all day.

"It's my lunch break."

"Well let me go make you something then," Lauren moved to stand up but was pulled back down by Opie's strong arms, "Ope let me go make you a sandwich, your break can't be that long."

"Play another song, I'll go make my own sandwich," Opie left her sitting alone and walked into the kitchen, smiling at the sound of the piano playing again. He walked back into the living room, taking a bite of his sandwich. "I always knew you were good but when did you become so great?"

"When you and Jax were prospecting. I had a lot of time alone to practice, I finally convinced my dad to buy me an actual piano instead of that stupid key board."

"You going to the party tonight?"

Lauren nodded enthusiastically and stole a bite of his food, "Yeah, I'll be there."

"Good, that means I get to spend some time with my girl."

Opie flipped his phone open looking at the time, "I gotta go babe. Do you want me to pick you up for tonight?"

"Nah I'll just meet you there," Opie placed a kiss on her lips, groaning as he pulled away.

"I wish I didn't have to go back."

"Me too, but you better leave now otherwise you're gonna be late."

"Yeah, yeah. I'll see you later Lo."

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><p>Like usual she was running late, she had taken too long showering, too long blow drying her hair, and too long picking out what to wear. She didn't have to dress to impress Opie, she knew that she could show up in sweat pants and he'd still only be interested in her. But those God awful croweaters, they would eat her alive. She finally settled on a shorter red cotton halter dress, dressy but not dressy enough to tip off her father that she was trying to impress anyone.<p>

By the time she got to the garage the club house was already packed, she searched high and low for Opie with no avail.

"Lauren!" she saw Tara run towards her, "Oh my God Jax told me about you and Ope finally realizing that you're meant to be. This is amazing!"

Lauren's eyes opened wide and looked at the party surrounding them while Tara leaned in, "Oh don't worry, I won't say anything to anyone. Ope's by the bar just so you know, I better go find Jax."

He was exactly where Tara told her he'd be, posted up and the bar talking to her father_, great_.

"Baby!" Tig shouted when his eye's caught her causing Opie to turn in her direction and smile.

"Hi daddy," She hugged him in a semi-awkward silence, he smelled of pure alcohol and cigarettes.

"I wish I could stick around longer, but I got my eye on the red head over there," Tig kissed her forehead, "You behave."

"Never," Lauren laughed as he walked away, "So how was hanging out with my dad?"

Opie took a sip of his beer and chuckled, "He asked me when I was gonna marry you."

Lauren nearly chocked on the drink she had just received from the prospect and her eyes went wide, "No he didn't."

"Swear on my life he did. He's not gonna remember it in the morning though the way he's going."

Lauren nodded, looking over at her father who face down in the red head's chest, "I worry about him."

"I know you do but he's fine, this is just how he is," Opie put his arm around her shoulder and pressed a kiss into her temple.

"Opie-"

"Lo no one is going to think any different about me doing that," Opie whispered into her ear.

"What are you drinking tonight?" Lauren nodded towards the shot glass Opie had raised to his lips.

"Whiskey, darlin', always drinking whiskey." Opie tilted the glass back and put it back on the bar, "What about you pretty, what're you drinking?"

"Vodka, you know whiskey's not my thing."

"Well let's take some shots then huh?" Opie reached behind the bar grabbing more shot glasses and the two handles of liquor.

"You sure this is a good idea?"

"Nah, I'm pretty sure it's a bad one, but I don't really care." Opie smiled, pouring liquid into their shot glasses before picking up his first shot glass, "Bottoms up."

Their glasses clinked and the next thing Lauren remembered was the room spinning, a croweater coming up to talk to Opie and the overwhelming need to puke. She must have bolted from the main room and some how safely made it to Opie's room because when she blacked back in she was sitting on the floor of his bathroom, her head hanging near the toilet seat. She could hear shuffling from the bedroom and figured that Opie had followed her in, she then felt a strong pair of hands grab her from under her arms, helping her up.

He leaned her up against his desk and started to peel her dress off of her when her hands grabbed his chest, "I'm sorry Ope, I'm so sorry. I wanted, I wanted," Lauren's eyes began filling with drunken tears before blurting out, "I just wanted to have sex with you tonight."

Opie stopped trying to undress her and took a step back, his eyes going wide at her statement.

"Oh my God. Do you not want to have sex with me?" Lauren asked, tears falling rapidly down her face, "Oh my God, I, I, I need-"

But she was cut off by his hands cupping her face, forcing her to look at him, "Now you're probably not gonna remember this in the morning but you listen here. Do not think for one second that I don't want to have sex with you because believe me it took everything I had to not drag you back here earlier, but this, this is not how we're going to have sex for the first time together. Lauren you don't have to get drunk to impress me, you already blow me away."

He watched her take a deep breath and wipe some of the fallen tears away from her cheeks, "You go brush your teeth and get out of that dress and I'll get you some clothes to sleep in."

Opie couldn't help but watch her stumble back into his bathroom and turn on the faucet, she was a hot mess but he was happy that she was his hot mess. He was still lost in thought about her when she made her way back to him clad in only her underwear, Opie handed her one of his old shirts before starting to take off his own clothes and helping her into bed.

They laid on their separate sides of the bed in silence for what felt like at least half an hour before Lauren rolled over and moved into Opie's side, her face pressed tightly against his bare chest and his arm wrapped around her shoulder, "I'm sorry Ope."

"There's nothing to be sorry about Lo," He pressed a kiss into her hair, his lips lingering until she propped herself up so they were looking directly at each other in his dark room. Her lips getting dangerously close to his, almost in a teasing manor before she finally pressed her lips against his ready and waiting mouth.

She pulled away slowly and laid her head back down in the crook of his shoulder, "Don't hold this against me because I'm drunk," she paused as if she was preparing to give speech, "I know we've only been dating for like two weeks, but I think I'm in love with you Opie, I think I always have been."

He ran his fingers up and down her arm for a few seconds before letting out a breathe he didn't even know he was holding in, "Me too Laur. It's always been you."

_It's always been you._

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><p>She thought her brain was going to pop out of her eyes when she woke up the next morning, she could typically hold her liquor pretty well, but last night was a terrible mess. She closed her eyes trying to block out the embarrassing memories of the previous night and what she had felt the need to blurt out in a moment of extreme drunkenness. However, there were definitely a few things of last night that she never wanted to forget, how she told him she was in love and how he had reassured her that is always has been her for him.<p>

She was face down on his bed, his body partially covering hers and his head was resting in the crook of her neck. She tried and failed at rolling over underneath only causing his grip on her to tighten.

"Ope," Lauren whispered into his ear, "Wake up."

He's head shot up off her shoulder, "What time is it? What's wrong?"

Lauren laughed at him, finally being able to flip under him, "Nothing's wrong. You were just crushing me to death."

Opie laid back down on top of her, his head finding it's way back to the crook of her neck, "Sorry, you're just such a good pillow."

Lauren laughed bring her fingers up to his freshly cut hair, "I think maybe we should talk."

Opie nodded against her, but didn't pick his head up, "Opie, I'm being serious."

"I know," Opie looked up at her and finally rolled to his side of the bed, watching as Lauren sat up and tucked her legs underneath her, "How much you remember?"

"Everything that was said in here," Lauren tucked pieces of her hair behind her ears, looking down at the bed.

"I meant it," Opie grabbed one of her legs and pulled her towards him so one of her legs was thrown over his waist, "I still do."

"I meant what I said too," Lauren's hands traced a tattoo on his side, "All of it."

"Maybe I should talk to your dad."

"Yeah, maybe," Lauren said, her eyes trained on the tattoo she was tracing.

Opie grabbed her hand stopping her tracing and pulled her up against him, "I'm gonna talk to him later. I gotta Lo, before this goes any further."

Lauren nodded and crashed her lips into his, "Thank you."

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><p>"Hey Tig man can I talk to for a second?" Opie sat down next to Tig at the bar.<p>

"Can it wait?" Tig took a swig out of the mug sitting in front of him, "My head is fucking killing me."

"It's really important," Opie took a deep breath, "It's about Lauren."

Tig whipped his head in Opie's direction, "What about Lauren?"

"Could we talk in private?"

"Anything you got to say you can say it hear in front of these people," Tig pointed around the club house and stood up next to Opie, "So what exactly do you want to talk about concerning _my daughter_?"

It was now or never. There was no getting around this talk with Tig and all of the outcomes that Opie could think of ended bloody.

"I love her."

"You love her huh?" Tig took a step back from Opie, chuckling under his breath. He then pulled his arm back and connected his fist with Opie's jaw knocking him off of his stool. Opie struggled to regain his balance on the bar when Tig struck again.

"Dad!" Lauren had just walked into the main room when she turned and saw her father impaling on Opie's face, the croweater's who were hanging around doing nothing to stop it.

"Dad, stop it!" Lauren rushed over to the two men and tried to put herself in-between them, "Stop it! You're acting crazy!"

Tig pulled away from the pair, breathing heavily, looking between Opie and Lauren, "Go to the Chapel now. Both of you."

Tig paced back and forth the Chapel looking at the pair, "This is serious?"

Opie and Lauren nodded eagerly.

"And you're gonna take care of her Opie?"

"Of course."

"I swear to fucking God if you ever hurt her, I will put a bullet in you and not even think twice."

Opie nodded, "Understood."

"Baby, this is what you want?"

"Dad, you don't even have to ask that."

Tig stopped his pacing and motioned for his daughter to stand up, "I love you so much and if he makes you happy then I'm happy."

He placed a kiss on her forehead and then turned to Opie, sticking out his hand, "Don't even think I won't hurt you," he reminded Opie again.

"I won't," Opie smiled as much as his now bruised face would let him.

"Baby, you go get him cleaned up. He's gonna look like shit."

"He really did a number on you," Lauren stood in between Opie's legs, pressing gauze to a cut above his eyebrow.

"Yeah he did," Opie cringed as she started to work on a new cut, "Maybe you should become a doctor someday, this seems pretty natural."

"I don't know, I can't see myself working in a hospital," Lauren dropped her hand from his face and looked at him, "Thank you."

"For what?"

"Talking to my dad, taking some pretty brutal hits for me, for liking me," Lauren put her hand on the side of his cheek and felt him lean into her hand.

"I'd do anything for you Lo," Opie closed his eyes and could feel her move her face down towards his, "I'd walk through fire for you."

Their lips met and Opie snaked his arms around her tiny waist. "We need to finish cleaning you up."

"Yeah we do," Opie mumbled against her lips.

Lauren pulled away from his lips and moved to start working on another cut under Opie's eye running her finger over the butterfly bandage she had just placed on, "You're gonna have a black a eye or two."

Opie nodded, pulling her close to him again, "I've had worse. It's worth it though."

Lauren nodded and stepped back so Opie could get off the counter, "Thanks for patchin' me up babe."

"Of course," Lauren smiled at him grabbing his hand and leading him out of the bathroom.

"Lo," Opie stopped her just before they walked back into the club house, "I'm glad we're together. Don't you ever forget it."

Lauren smiled tightening her grip on his hand, "I won't. Ope I already told you, I'm in this for the long haul."

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><p><strong>an: and as promised here is the newest chapter of this story! I hope you all like it and thank you for all of the faves, alerts and reviews it makes it all worth wild as I say every time. The next chapter is going to flash back forward to the present day and Lauren coming home. and last but not least GO REVIEW right meow and i'll love you forever!**


	4. Stay

_Well it's good to hear your voice, I hope you're doing fine and if you ever wonder, I'm lonely here tonight. Lost here in this moment and time keeps slipping by, and if I had one wish, I'd have you by my side. -Miley Cyrus_

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><p><strong>Present Day.<strong>

She slowly slid her dark sunglasses off her face and sat them down on the sink counter next to her, taking in the person in the mirror staring back at her. Her long dark hair was in tangled waves and the make up that had been covering her bruised eye and neck had started to melt off. She wanted to cry, she didn't know what she was doing back in Charming, but when her father and best friend called her begging her to come home because of Donna's death it seemed like the perfect time to leave her less than stellar life in Seattle.

She was never one to take anyone's shit lying down, after all she was Tig Trager's daughter, but then she met Will it all changed and at first he had been the perfect gentlemen; in a way he reminded her of Opie, the baby face minus the tattoos, but then in the past week it all went down hill. He had gotten promoted, which typically was a good thing, but in his case it had caused more stress then either of them thought. Then one night she had the music on too loud after a long day in the office and he just didn't want to hear any of that. And then Will thought the best place to take out his anger was on her.

The next day she heard from Tig and Jax and that was all she needed to know that her time in Seattle was all but done. However, if hearing from her family didn't already seal the deal that she was going back to Charming, when she told Will he told her to _'Go run back to your biker trash family.' _And that was exactly what she was going to do, cut her losses in Seattle and go back home.

But here in the clubhouse bathroom should couldn't help but think about how she only looked like a shell of the girl she used to be when she lived in Charming all those years ago.

"You gonna tell me what happened?" Her father's voice made her jump.

"What do you mean?" Lauren pushed her hair around her neck trying to cover her bruises.

"I might be getting old baby, but I'm not blind," Tig walked over to his daughter and cradled her face is his hands. _God he had missed his little girl. _"I'm gonna kill him."

Lauren shook her head and silently willed herself to not cry, "Dad it's over. I'm here and it won't ever happen again."

"It better fucking not," Tig pushed her hair out of her face, "You have no idea how much we've all missed you."

It was true the wake Lauren left when went up to Seattle was disastrous. Opie didn't get out of bed for weeks. The only time he did was for short trips to the clubhouse to drink himself back into a stooper and grab a random croweater to try and numb the pain with, then he would kick her out and in the manliest way possible cry himself to sleep.

Tig on the other hand did everything he could to stay out of the house he shared with his daughter, being there for longer than five seconds made him want to put a bullet in his brain. The only things that kept him remotely sane was that the Tacoma Chapter was less than an hour away should anything happen to her and that Clay always sent him on the runs to Tacoma so he could see his little girl every few months.

"I've missed you all too dad," Lauren wrapped her arms around her dad, letting the welled up tears fall down her face.

Tig's black heart momentarily broke at the sight in front of him and petted her matted hair down while he tried to consol her, "It's gonna be okay baby, it's a gonna be fine. We're gonna get through this."

* * *

><p>"You look better with that color," Gemma said coming into the dorm room Lauren was occupying, "Look a lot more like your dad and less like your junkie trash mother."<p>

"Hi to you too Gem," Lauren turned around setting the make up brush she had been holding down and walked over Gemma, wrapping her arms around the older woman, "Missed you Ma."

"Too fuckin' skinny, we can fix that though. Come on let's go I need help in the kitchen for tomorrow."

"God Gemma, I've been here for like two hours and you're already putting me to work?"

Gemma laughed and swung her arm over the younger girl's shoulder, "Baby you were always my cooking prodigy, you know Tara could never compare."

* * *

><p>"I'm not going to the funeral," Lauren slid a roast into the oven, "I'll go to the memorial after but I just don't think it's right for me to go to the burial."<p>

"You sure kid?"

"Yeah, I just don't want to take Ope by surprise like that, it's not the time or place." Lauren took the joint out of Gemma's hands and inhaled deeply.

"How did you get so smart?"

Lauren coughed out smoke getting an eyebrow raising look from Gemma, "It's been a while and to answer your question, I was raised by you."

Gemma grabbed the joint back, "That's what I like to hear. At least I raised one of you right."

It was Lauren's turn to raise an eyebrow, "What do you mean by that Gem? Jax is a great man and from what my dad says a great father. And you basically raised Opie too and last time I checked he turned out well."

"Jax is questioning the club," Lauren walked over to the refrigerator and grabbed beers for the pair and waited for the older woman to continue, "Found some of JT's old shit and it's making him question the decisions Clay and the club have been making. He's saying that he doesn't think this is what John wanted the club to be."

"Shit. Is that why he's been AWOL since I've gotten here?"

"Yeah, he's just fighting through some things, but hopefully Opie and maybe even you will be able to reel him back in," Gemma took a swig from her bottle and looked at Lauren, "So you'll get the food all heated up before we get here tomorrow?"

"Yeah Gem, that's fine."

Gemma leaned in and hugged her before leaving the kitchen, "I'm glad the second baddest bitch in Charming is back."

* * *

><p>She had been pacing the Morrow's kitchen for the last ten minutes, making sure all of the food was ready to be served and all of the drinks were chilled. She thought she was going to vomit. She hadn't seen Opie is almost ten years and here she was showing up at his late wife's memorial? This was so fucked up. She heard Gemma and Clay come in and quickly swallowed the rest of the beer she was drinking before tossing it into the trash can next to her.<p>

"Hey kid," Clay grabbed the beer she was holding out, "We're the first, the rest should be in, in a few."

"So brace myself?"

"Yeah you're gonna need to."

Lauren was standing at the kitchen sink, looking out the window when he came into the house. She didn't recognize him at first and silently wondered if he'd struggle to recognize her too when they finally came face to face. His once baby face was taken over by a bushy beard and his short cropped hair had grown out. He looked older, of course he did, he served five years in prison and had two young children, but then again she looked older too.

He had two young children. And they weren't hers. That thought right there made her angry enough to break the bottle she was holding. She took another sip of her beer and tried to focus her thoughts on something happy, like the little house she saw a few streets over from Gemma's that was for sale, but it was no use.

She quickly ran out of the kitchen and escaped into the back yard when she saw Opie headed for the kitchen.

"Hiding from something Laur?" The blonde who was nursing his own beer asked from the bench swing.

"Am I supposed to hate you in Charming still?" This caused the blonde to throw his head back in laughter as she sat down next to him.

"Only if you want to kid, your dad still does."

"He will 'til the day he dies," Lauren took a sip of her beer and slid off the heels she been wearing, "Missed you Uncle Koz."

"It's been like three days, cut the cord already." She smacked her uncle's tattooed arm and pushed the bench so they were swinging. If she could have two wishes in her life, one would be for her and Opie to be okay again and the other would be for her dad and his former best friend to reconcile. When she moved to Seattle, Kozik took over the parental role since Tig was almost half a day away. He always took his job very seriously, treating her like she was his own daughter, checking in on her at least once a day and making sure she always had everything she needed.

"You haven't talked to him yet?"

"He buried his wife today."

"You know it's always better to rip the bandage off." Kozik got up off of the swing, leaving her alone with her thoughts for a minute. Every scenario she played through her head ended horribly and that couldn't be a good sign.

* * *

><p>She found herself alone again, back in the kitchen after she finally got up from the porch swing. She was doing her best to put on a brave face as many of the members came in through the kitchen and quietly welcomed her back, saying that they wished it was under better circumstances. At one point she could've laughed, <em>under better circumstances? <em>They were acting like her one and only reason for coming home was to help bury her ex-boyfriends' wife who she barely even knew; Little did they all know days earlier she got the shit beat out of her by her lousy now ex-boyfriend, but she managed to hold it together because she promised herself and Gemma and Clay earlier that morning she would not make a scene with her homecoming today. They could throw her a party some other time.

"What are you doing here?" She jumped, so lost in thought she hadn't heard the footsteps come up from behind her."

"Hi," was all she could stutter out.

"What are you doing here Lauren?" She shuddered at the way he said her name like it was some kind of poison he was trying to spit out.

"My dad called. He told me what happened."

He took a stop closer to her and she took a step back running into the counter top, "So you thought it would be a good idea to come home the day of my wife's funeral? What did you see this as your way back in? God, you're a piece of work."

"Are you kidding me?" Lauren scoffed at his comment and raised her voice, "I'm here because I care about you and you're wife just died and both my dad and Jax called saying you were a mess."

Opie opened his mouth to speak again but was cut off by Lauren, "And newsflash _Harry_, you checked out on me before I left Charming. Me leaving was your fault. Not mine."

"Leaving was the best thing you ever did-"

_Smack._

"Don't you dare say that to me," Lauren pointed a finger towards Opie, neither of them not noticing the crowd gathering around the kitchen to watch the scene unfold. Lauren gasped for air and felt the tears starts falling down her cheeks, "How? How could you ever even think that?"

She watched briefly as the look in Opie's face softened, his feature's returning to the old Opie she knew. But she only saw it for seconds because before she knew what was going on Jax and Tig grabbed her by the arms and led her out of the room sobbing.

Then the group watched Gemma and Piney grab Opie by the arm and drag him out to the back porch.

Clay looked at the bewildered men behind him, and smirked a little to himself, "So much for not making a scene."

* * *

><p><strong>an: sooo here's the new chapter, the next chapter will be in present day too, and then I probably go back to past for a few chapters and alternate so you all get both sides of the story. Thank you thank you thank you! to all those who faved, alerted and especially reviewed. I encourage you all to review, knowing that you all like this story it is what keeps me writing! Hope you all liked it. GO REVIEW right meow and I'll love you forever.**


	5. Mean

_You, with your words like knives and your swords and your weapons that you use against me, you have knocked me off my feet again, got me feeling like I'm nothing.- Taylor Swift_

* * *

><p>"How could he be so mean?" Lauren looked up from the toilet she was sitting on at her best friend who moved to sit on the side of the tub next to her.<p>

"He's not himself right now Ren. He's not the same Opie that you left."

"Oh so you think it's my fault I left too? This is just fucking great." Lauren moved to get up but was pulled back down by Jax.

"You know I don't. Everything that happened with you two, it was only a matter of time until one of you left. We were all so young, you know I never would've been able to handle what you and Opie went through."

"He just looked at me like I was the scum of the Earth. "

"That's how he looks at everyone these days Lauren. He finally was able to get his life back together and now he's back to the way he was when you left all over again. Finding comfort in the bottom of an empty liquor bottle."

Lauren bit the inside of her cheek listening to Jax, "He completely forgot me didn't he? Forget that he ever loved me."

"He never could," Jax brushed new tears off of her cheek, "He loved Donna but not the way he loved you Ren. It was always you for him."

_It's always been you._

* * *

><p>"Son you need to get your shit together," Piney push Opie down on to the bench that had earlier been occupied by Kozik and Lauren as Gemma trailed quickly behind them.<p>

"Pop I don't need to hear this right now. We just buried Donna, in case you forgot."

"The old man's right, Opie you have two kids who need you. This isn't just about Donna being dead or Lauren being back. This is about you getting out of this walking coma you're in and realizing that you are still alive," Gemma sat down on the porch swing next to the younger man, "You don't have to fall back in love with Lauren or even like to her for that matter, but you are sure as hell not going to talk to her like she is a piece of trash. No one around here is going to let you."

"Clay's talking Tig down as we speak," Piney added, "He's out for your blood and I might just let him have you if you keep acting like this."

"At least it'll put me out of my misery." Opie got up and walked back into the house but stopped short when he saw Tig heading towards the front door with Lauren tucked underneath his arm.

"You proud of yourself punk?" Tig stepped away from Lauren giving Opie the full view of her that he hadn't gotten to see when they were in the kitchen. Her eyes were completely bloodshot and the tears had washed off most of the rest of her face revealing the bruise that encompassed her right eye. He didn't remember that being there earlier, but then again he hardly remembered seeing her newly dark hair in the kitchen either, all he saw was red.

"Dad, stop," Lauren reached out for her dad's arm pulling him back towards her. She looked Opie over a second before looking up to her father, "He's not worth the fight anyway."

* * *

><p>"Thought you were going home to be with the kids," Jax sat down next to his best friend on the curb outside of his mother's house.<p>

"My ma's taking care of them for the night. I don't want them to see me like this."

"Like an asshole?"

Opie turned his head sharply at the blonde, "What you too now? I can't catch a break."

"You were pretty harsh back there bro," Jax took a swig from the water bottle he was holding, "I haven't seen her cry like that in a while, she's just as broken as you are believe it or not."

"Not," Opie said quietly looking at the house across the street from them.

"You know what Ope, I'm sick of this bullshit. You wanna mope around all the time and feel sorry for yourself go for it, but don't bring it around here, we're already a negative enough group as it is, we don't need you to bring it down even more. Donna wouldn't want you to be acting like this," Jax stood up off the ground, "It's okay to mourn, but what you're doing isn't mourning, you're just trying to tare people down so they feel just as bad as you. But new flash, I'm pretty sure Ren was already down there without your help."

"Jax," Opie looked up, "I'm sorry man."

"It's not me who you need to apologizing to bro."

* * *

><p>By the time he got back to his house all was quiet. His mother had tucked in his children who we're quietly sleeping in their rooms and then she silently left when Opie came through the front door. He grabbed one of the many bottles of beer out of his fridge and sat down on the couch in living room taking a long swig. His life was in complete ruins, he just buried his wife yet all he could think about was the skinny dark haired girl who had originally broken his heart.<p>

He pulled the prepay out of his pocket and stared at the small screen for a minute before dialing a number he thought he almost forgot. He took another sip of his beer, listening to the ringing when suddenly the ringing stopped.

"Hello?" A voice croaked through the line, he could tell she had probably still been crying when she decided to pick up the phone, "Hello?"

It was as if he was frozen in time, he couldn't get the words from his brain out of his mouth. He wanted to scream at her, tell her how much she hurt him and he wanted to make her feel the pain he was still feeling. But at the same time he wanted to wrap her into his arms and listen to her tell him that everything was going to be okay.

"Hello?" Her voice rang through the line again, "If anyone is there I'm hanging up now."

He heard the phone click off and let the phone slide down to his lap. This was not okay. His life was not okay.

* * *

><p>"So what's eating at you?" Lauren sat down across from Jax at the picnic table and lit up a cigarette, "You've been acting weird lately."<p>

Jax snatched the cigarette out of her hand, "Thought you quit?"

"Stress," Lauren rolled her eyes and ran a hand through her tangled hair, "And don't try to change the subject on me, Teller."

"Just club shit, Ren."

"When has that ever stopped you from venting to me?"

Jax took a long drag from the cigarette and then handed it back to Lauren blowing out a stream of smoke, "I got something I want you to read. I'll give it to you later, but basically my old man wrote some kind of memoir on what he thought the club should be and it's kinda freaking me the fuck out."

"Jax you've been a part of this club for how long? Clay has always had the best intentions for it. He's never led you all in the wrong direction."

"Donna just died."

Lauren stiffened, "Did her death have something to do with the club?"

Jax chuckled under his breath and shook his head at his friend, "Who fuckin' knows. I just don't think my dad would be happy with all this shit we've gotten into lately."

"Jax times have changed since JT was president."

"Can we talk about something else? This is all I think about lately, I need to get my mind off of it."

Lauren nodded still unsure if his father's book was the only thing eating at him, "I bought that house off of Carpenter."

"Yeah? My mom was saying something about that when I saw her last night. You tired of living with your dad?"

"Well I am rapidly approaching 30 so I figured it was time I moved out."

Jax laughed, "30 isn't as bad as it sounds. You see Tara yet?"

Lauren nodded rapidly, while taking a drag of the cigarette, "Yeah I saw her at the hospital the other week and then we went to lunch the other day. Are you two okay?"

"Yeah I think, I don't know. I'm trying to focus on the little guy you know? Focus all of my energy on something that I can control."

"You're gonna be a good dad Jax."

"Thanks," Jax nodded, "You seen Ope?"

"No. He called the house that night after the funeral. He didn't say anything though. It's been three weeks, is he even still alive? I haven't seen him around here."

"He's just been at the house with the kids. Mary has actually been around a lot." Lauren couldn't help but laugh, "No shit? I guess things really are changing in Charming."

"You have no idea."

* * *

><p><strong>an: sooo here's the new chapter of Always! Thank you to all who faved and alerted and a special shout out to the those who reviewed (you have special place in my heart!) But anyway I should have the next chapter of Human up sometime in the next few days so be looking out for that and I update Reckless One last night so go check that out too and let me know what you think. By now I feel like y'all know the drill... I encourage everyone to go review, it is what keeps me writing and I love love love hearing what y'all have to say about the stories. GO REVIEW right meow and I'll love you forever. (ps. sorry for the shameless review pimping, but really go do it now.)**


	6. Stolen

_I watch you spin around in your highest heels, you are the best one, of the best ones. We all look how we feel. You have stolen my heart. -Dashboard Confessional_

* * *

><p><strong>The past.<strong>

"Opie I don't want to get in," Lauren said looking into the cool blue pool in the Morrow's backyard before turning around to look back at her shirtless boyfriend, "I have to be at work in like two hours, I don't want to get my hair wet."

"Opie you're dating such a princess," Jax hollered at his friend from inside the pool.

Opie couldn't help but smile as he walked over to his girlfriend. It was the middle of June and the temperatures were setting record highs in Charming, and the group of friends decided the best way to waste some time away was in the Morrow's pool. Tara had left town a little over a month ago and this was the first time they had seen Jax come back to the land of the living, "Baby, you know you want to get in. It'll cheer Jax up."

Lauren looked to Jax who was nodding eagerly while bobbing up and down in the deep end of the pool, "Yeah Ren, if you don't get in, I might go under and never come back up.

"Jax, shut up. And no. I know that I don't want to get in," Lauren stated backing away from Opie and the repeated, "I have to be at work soon."

"Call in sick."

"I already saw my boss today, she'll know I'm lying."

Opie rolled his eyes and ran his hand through her sandy blonde locks, looking at his girl friend of nearly five months trying to figure out his next plan of attack, "Am I at least gonna get to see you tonight?"

"I close, but I can come by the clubhouse after I get off."

Opie smiled down on her, "Good, can't wait," Opie moved even closer to Lauren before whispering in her ear, "Now get you're ass in the pool."

Before she even knew what was going on, Kate was being engulfed in Opie's arms and thrown backwards into cold water.

"Harry Winston!" Lauren screamed at the top of her lungs when she finally surfaced, "I hate you!"

Opie and Jax both laughed and knocked fists, before Opie treaded over to Lauren in the water, pulling her around him, "No you don't.

"I do. Get off of me," Opie's grip only tightened around her waist.

"Just call in, spend the day with me and the third wheel," Opie lips brushed against her cheek, Lauren's legs tightening around his waist.

"Ope, I have to work."

His lips brushed up against her cheek again, getting closer to her mouth, "Nah, you don't. How about this, call work and quit, tell them that you found a sugar daddy to take care of you. You shouldn't be working in that shit hole restaurant anyway."

"Oh I have a sugar daddy?"

Opie laughed, his hands finding their way under her shirt, "If you want. You know I'd always take care of you."

"Normal seniors in high school have a summer job."

"Since when were you normal? You're dad doesn't like you workin' there either. Neither does Jax, right Jax?"

"Right!" Jax yelled oblivious of the conversation the pair was having.

"Come on you know you want to Lo," Lauren rolled her eyes and tilted her head back into the water.

"Fine. Opie, you win." Opie pulled her back up to face him, his lips finding their way to hers, "But you better be the best sugar daddy the world has ever seen."

"You got it babe," Opie swam the pair over to the side of the pool, "Go call them and then go get in suit. We'll be out here."

Opie watched as she nodded and climbed out of the side of the pool, disappearing into the back door of the Morrow's house.

"So can I ask it?" Jax swam up beside his best friend.

"We haven't."

"What's taking so long?"

"I don't want to pressure her-"

"It's been five months," Jax interrupted him.

"Would you stop being such a douche bag? This is Lauren we're talking about not some random chick." Opie hit Jax's shoulder through the water, "I just want her to feel comfortable."

"You have turned into such a pussy."

"Yeah and you've turned into quite the asshole."

"Whatcha talking about?" Lauren asked as she walked back towards the pool, slowly shimming in and swimming towards Opie.

"Nothing interesting," Opie said before Jax could get a word in, "You look hot."

A grin spread on Lauren's face, "Thanks, you look hot too."

"You two make me want to puke," Jax hopped out of the side of the pool, "I'm going to look for some liquor."

"I see he fell back into his old mood," Lauren wrapped her legs around Opie's waist, "I want to talk to you about something."

"What is it?"

"Well now that I'm out of work and we have the rest of the day and like forever together, I was thinking," She paused nervously, biting her lip, "Well I was thinking maybe tonight, maybe we could do it."

"Do it?"

"Opie, have sex," Lauren blushed at the words coming out of her mouth.

Opie slowly nodded, pulling her tighter around him, "You're sure about this?"

"Harry, I'm in love with you. Yes, I'm sure."

A grin slowly spread against both of their faces, "I love you too Lo."

* * *

><p>"Your dad coming home tonight?" Opie asked as Lauren rounded the corner out of her bathroom, toweling out her hair.<p>

"Nope, he just got back from Tacoma so he said he was gonna live it up at the clubhouse tonight." Lauren dropped the towel on her desk and sat down next to Opie, "Guess it's just you and me tonight. Unless you wanna go hang out with the guys."

Opie shook his head, "Nah, I've got plans with you tonight."

He watched as Lauren nodded nervously and got up off the bed, "You okay Lo?"

"Mhmmmm, fine," Lauren smiled tightly at her boyfriend and began pacing.

Opie got up from where he had been sitting and grabbed her arms to steady her, "Lauren stop. If you don't want to do this we don't have to."

She shook her head, "It's not that. I want to, I'm just nervous. I don't want to disappoint you."

"Lauren you could never disappoint me," Opie couldn't help but smile at her concern. He took his hands and cupped her face, tilting it up to look at him. He placed his lips on hers, slowly guiding her back to her bed, gently laying her down.

She laid back and watched as he went to work, his kisses trailing from mouth to her jaw down to her collar bone where he managed to pull her flimsy top off, leaving her only in boy shorts and her bra. His kisses continued down until he unhooked her bra, his mouth instantly latching on to her taut nipple causing her to arch her head back and moan. His kisses continues further, down to her stomach and only stopped when Opie rolled her boy shorts down and off of her.

He pulled himself back up over her discarding the clothes he had been wearing, and then dropped a kiss down on Lauren's ready and waiting lips.

"Just relax," Opie breathed, while spreading her legs wider, "Just breathe and relax," Opie placed another kiss on her lips and before she even realized it, he entered her. It was like the world stilled at that very moment, she couldn't think, she couldn't move, all she could was look into the eyes of the man on top of her and think about how right this was, how right that it was him, the boy she loved for all of these years. She took a deep breathe in when she felt his hand grip her hips, bringing her even closer to him then she thought was possible and she winced in pain.

"You okay?" He pulled her out of her thoughts.

She mentally shook off the pain and responded by wrapping her arm around his neck and pulling him in for a rough kiss signally to Opie that it was safe to thrust deeper inside of her and he thought he was going to be sent over the edge when she bite his neck and barely whispered in his ear, "Harder."

He did as he was told and bucked his hips harder and faster, digging deeper and deeper into her core, her legs wrapping tighter around his waist.

"Oh God," Lauren moaned, arching her back while Opie grunted and thrusted one hard, last time before collapsing on her, burying his face in the crook of her neck inhaling the scent of coconut from her hair.

She felt as if her heart was going to explode out of her chest and her brain was going to bust her head wide open. She wanted this forever. This feeling of security and knowing that Opie loved her more than anything in the world.

"I love you Lauren," Opie mumbled against her neck and placed a kiss in the same spot.

She brought her hand up from her side and ran it through his short hair, "And I love you."

He picked his head up to look at her, a lazy smile hanging off his face and rolled over to the other side of the bed, pulling the comforter up above them, "Come 'ere."

Opie pulled her by her waist over to his side of the bed, her head finding it's way to his chest and her arm hanging loosely around his waist, "Let's stay like this always okay?"

She could feel him nod against her, "Always."

_Always._

* * *

><p><strong>an: hi everybody! here's the latest chapter to Always, I hope you all enjoy it! GO REVIEW right meow!**


	7. Wonderwall

Today is gonna be the day that they're gonna throw it back to you, by now you should've somehow realized what you gotta do, I don't believe that anybody feels the way I do about you now. -Oasis

* * *

><p><strong>Present Day.<strong>

"Have you decided what you're gonna do for a job?" Gemma kicked her feet up on the office desk and looked at the brunette across from her.

Lauren tilted her head to the side in thought, "I don't know. Freeload a little more maybe?" Lauren couldn't help but smirk at Gemma. She had been in town for almost two months and although she had managed to buy a house relatively close to both her father's and Gemma's, she had refused to start working again, instead she was living off of her savings, multiple bottles of wine at a time, and the money she would find in her mail box once a week which she could only presume was from her father.

"Haven't you done enough of that already?"

"Why you getting tired of hanging out with me, Gem?"

Gemma chuckled and lit up a cigarette. She loved Lauren like she was her own daughter but this was getting a little ridiculous, the girl had a PhD for Christ's sake and all she had been doing lately was hanging around the clubhouse, drinking her life away, and living off of the money Tig gave her.

"You know it's not that baby, I just think maybe it's time you start working again, start making-"

"My own money?" Lauren rolled her eyes, "It's not like I'm asking Dad to give me money, I have some saved up. I just want to take some time off before I get back on my feet."

Gemma took a drag from her cigarette and took a long look at the girl sitting across from her. Long gone were the bruises she rolled into town with, her hair was dyed darker then it had been before, making her blue eyes shine even brighter. And if you happened to be an outsider on the street, you would think she was a perfectly happy normal almost twenty nine year old. But Gemma knew that there was something eating at her, and it had been ever since her black Mercedes came rolling through the Teller-Morrow gates. She didn't know whether it had something to do with the bruises that had marred her near perfect skin or if it was unresolved feelings for Opie, but she knew she had to get to the bottom of it before she had another basket case to deal with.

As if Lauren had read her mind, she locked eyes with Gemma and without blinking spoke, "I'm fine Gem."

"You sure about that?"

"Yes."

Gemma shook her head and took another drag from her cigarette before stomping it out and pulling out a joint from the desk drawer, "I think you're lying. Think you're hiding something or maybe you're hiding _from_ something."

Gemma could see frustration and irritation etched on Lauren's face and her body get tense at the older woman's words, but was taken a back when Lauren swiftly got up and shut the office door and turned to face her.

"You wanna know what's been going on Gem? Why I feel like wallowing in my own self pity for a little bit? Fine, I'll tell you. I got the shit beat out of me by my ex-boyfriend two days before I came back. Me, Lauren Trager, daughter of Tig Trager Sergeant at Arms, got the shit beat out of me," Gemma gasped and dropped the joint back on to her desk before scooting her chair back and moving to stand, but was stopped when Lauren continued, "And then Dad and Jax called and it was like a sign from God, so here I am. And it fucking hurts Gemma, it hurts more than any pain I've ever experienced in my life. It's worse than it was before when everything happened. Seeing him and being back here, it is ripping my heart out. It was like the wound almost healed and then I came back and I saw him and I thought I could handle it, but I can't. I can't fucking handle seeing him, it brings back too many painful memories. All I want is for things to be like they used to be but they can't be, and it hurts Gem. It just fucking hurts so bad."

And then Gemma did then only thing she could think of, she slowly rose from her seat and wrapped her arms around the younger girl as she sobbed into her arms and whispered softly into her ear, "Baby, it's going to be okay. It's going to get better, I promise you."

* * *

><p>"Haven't seen you around here in too long brother," Jax made his way over to where Opie had parked his bike.<p>

He just shrugged, "Yeah I figured it was time I get back into the land of the living."

"Well it's good to have you back," They were about to start heading into the clubhouse when Opie froze in his tracks at the sight of Lauren walking out of the clubhouse and into the office, wind causing her jet black hair to shield his view of her face.

"What is she doing here?"

"Opie you had to see this one coming. She's back in Charming for good, she's been here almost everyday since she's been back. She's been helping my mom in the office I think-"

"Isn't she some kind of doctor or something? Why is she working in the office?"

It was Jax's turn to shrug, "She's a psychiatrist, but I don't know what the hell is going on with her. She bought a house, but she hasn't started working again. I don't think that she's all there man. It's like she's missing something, she's not the same as she was."

"Are any of us?"

* * *

><p>"Opie, we're glad to see you back," Clay sat at the head of the table and looked to the younger man at the other end before looking at his step-son. This was not what was supposed to happen. An innocent woman was dead and her blood was on the hands of his club, and there was nothing Clay could do about it except try and cover it up and begin the healing process as best as he could. "You know that we will do whatever it takes to find out who did this and make sure that they pay."<p>

Opie nodded and looked from his father to his best friend and then to his president, "Thanks Clay, it means a lot."

"Juice you talk to Laroy and see if his guys know anything about this. I have a feeling those fucking Mexicans had something to do with it after the last gun deal went south. Whatever comes up we'll deal with." Clay took a deep breath and looked at the men sitting around him before continuing, "If there is a bright side to any of this, that would be that Bobby comes home tonight." The men sitting around the table clapped and hollered at the news, "Time to become whole again."

* * *

><p>"It's probably the best spot in town for your office, plus best amount of space for what you'll be paying," Elliot Oswald said as Lauren looked around the empty office space, "I could even give you your first client. The person we're seeing now isn't really working out for us."<p>

"Gemma told me about Tristan, I'm so sorry Elliot."

"We're working through it, but I think if Tristan talks to you it might help her. She always did like you when she was younger."

Lauren nodded and walked into the back part of the empty space, looking at the dark mahogany floors and white cabinets, "I'll take it. It's time I get my life back together too."

"Perfect. I'll draft up the paperwork tonight and fax it to you. When you open, give me a call so we can fit Tristan in."

"Will do. Thanks for doing this Elliot, it means a lot."

"It was no problem at all. It's good to have you back in Charming, Lauren."

"It's good to say, I'm glad to be back."

"How's Opie handling Donna's death?"

Lauren shrugged, signing a few forms on the front counter, "I wouldn't know. We're not really talking."

Elliot only nodded as Lauren handed back the papers, "I'll get the rest of this to you tonight."

"Thanks again," Lauren started for the door, but was stopped when Elliot spoke.

"It'll get better Lauren, it always does."

* * *

><p>He had been sitting inside of Landry's Diner for almost half an hour, switching back and forth between swigs of beer and flipping his phone open and shut, checking the time. He could've sworn she said 6:30 on the phone earlier, but now he wasn't sure since it was rapidly approaching 7:00. He rubbed a calloused hand down his face, shutting his eyes momentarily. Shit he was tired, this whole thing with Opie was taking a toll on him and he didn't know how much longer he could hold it in. But he was nowhere near ready to see what his confession would do to his youngest daughter.<p>

When it came to his older two daughters, his bitch of an ex-wife made sure that she always painted him as an alcoholic, psychotic biker in their heads, that they should only ever come to him when they needed to hit him up for money. However, when it came to his youngest, she was no naïve girl, she knew what his role was in the club, but she always looked at him like he could do no wrong. He couldn't imagine what the effect of finding out that he was responsible for the death of Donna would do to her. He was lost in thought when a tornado of jet black hair and leather ran up to their regular booth.

"Sorry I'm late," Lauren threw her purse into the booth and slid in behind it, smoothing down strands of hair that had fallen out of her loose ponytail while the waitress set a beer down in front of her.

"Thought I was getting stood up by my own kid," Tig took a sip of his beer and smiled at the girl across from him, "Why were you late anyway, that's not like you."

"I was finishing up some paper work with Oswald."

"Paperwork for what?"

Lauren smiled widely at her father, "I bought that open office space on Main, you know the one a few stores down from that new cigar shop."

"You're gonna start working again?"

"Yeah, I figure it's about time. You didn't put me through all of those years of school for nothing. Plus it'll give me something to do to get my mind off of things."

"I'm proud of you kid."

"Thanks dad. I'm proud of you too," Tig froze at her words. She was proud of him too? For what? Being a cold blooded killer? He finished the beer in front of him and signaled the waitress to bring him another. "Are you okay?"

Tig nodded rapidly trying to shake off the never ending guilt feeling that was slowly taking over his whole body, "I'm fine, just tired. You heard from Ope anymore?"

"A few times. It's the same each time though, I answer, say hello a few times and then hang up. He never says a word," Lauren took a bite of a French fry in front of her. Truth be told he had called her a few nights ago when she was knee deep in a bottle of wine.

"_Hello?" She hesitantly answered her phone, taking another sip of wine to try and drain some of the pain out, "Look Opie I know it's you. You need to stop doing this. It's only going to hurt you in the long run."_

_She paused at the sound of his heavy breathing running through the line, "Opie, I'm only going to hurt you in the long run."_

_And with that she hit end on her phone screen and poured herself another large glass of wine. _

"Lauren, it'll get better you know that right?" Tig took his daughter's hand into his own, half convincing her and half convincing himself.

"That's what everyone keeps telling me."

* * *

><p><strong>an: here's the new chapter! sorry it's been taking me so long to churn these out, but school has been hectic. If you're reading Reckless One, I should have a new chapter out for that later tonight. Like usual your feedback means the world to me so GO REVIEW right meow and tell me what ya think!**


	8. Little Talks

_You're gone, gone, gone away, I watched you disappear, all that's left is the ghost of you. Now we're torn, torn, torn apart and there's nothing we can do, just let me go and we'll meet again soon. -Of Monsters and Men_

* * *

><p><strong>The Present.<strong>

"So why blue?" Half-Sack climbed off of the ladder he had been using and gladly accepted the cold water bottle Lauren was holding out to him.

"It's turquoise and because it's relaxing. I want my patients to feel relaxed when they walk in here. My office is going to that deep purple that you picked up the other day," Lauren said as she watched him attempt to get paint off of his face, only making it messier.

"There's more painting?"

Lauren laughed at the skinny blonde prospect, "Yep, more painting and then there's gonna be some furniture moving, but since you're doing such a good job I figured the least I could do was buy you some lunch, how 'bout that?" Half-Sack nodded eagerly and started climbing back up the ladder, "Burgers from Lenny's good?"

"Perfect!"

By the time Lauren got back to her office, Half-Sack was peeling off the tape from the front room and starting to move his tools into the back office, "I can't believe you finished in here, I wasn't even gone that long!"

Half-Sack laughed and continued moving his things, "What can I say, food's a good motivator. I can eat out back if you want so you can eat in here."

"Are you serious?" Lauren's eyes went wide as the blonde nodded, "No. You're eating in here with me."

"You sure?"

"Yes I'm sure. Why would I make you sit outside?"

"The guys told me to leave you alone."

"Well that is just ridiculous," Lauren set the food bags down on the freshly placed tarp in the back office, "We're eating together."

Half-Sack nodded still a little unsure and watched as Lauren sat down and started removing the food from their paper sacks.

"Are ya gonna sit and eat or am I going to have to eat all of this myself?"

A goofy grin appeared on his face, finally giving in and sitting across from her on the floor as she handed him a burger, "Okay, fine. But if the guys ask, this was your idea."

"Deal," Lauren twisted her long wavy hair up into a bun on the top of her head and then went back to picking at her lunch.

"What's that?" Half-Sack pointed to the inside of the her wrist and she instantly retracted it.

"Um, it's nothing. Just something I got done when I was young and stupid. I'm actually in the process of getting it removed, have an appointment later this week for the last part of it. I'm getting tired of always wearing bracelets."

"You're an old lady?"

"Was."

"Oh," Half-Sack took a big bite into his burger, suddenly regretting asking any questions at all, wishing he had remained silent or even better sitting on the back steps of her office. But her voice brought him out of his uncomfortable silence.

"Why do they call you Half-Sack?"

"You haven't heard this story already?" Lauren shook her head in response, "Uh well long story short, I did a few tours in Iraq and my unit got hit by a roadside bomb and it blew one of my nuts off. But I mean, it's all good. I'm actually getting a prosthetic one in a few weeks."

"They make prosthetic nuts?" Lauren bit back a small smile.

"It's okay to laugh, it is a little funny. But yeah they make fake ones."

Throughout their quiet lunch, Lauren couldn't help but notice how good it felt to be in the company of someone who had no clue what her past in Charming entailed. And it was nice change of pace to hang out with someone who genuinely seemed happy, unlike the majority of the people she was used to spending her time with.

"What made you want to be a psychiatrist?"

Lauren cleared her throat and smoothed invisible hairs down on top of her head, "Well when I left Charming, I was going through a lot of stuff and one of my friends finally convinced me to talk to someone and it really helped. I just thought that if someone like that could make a difference on my life, maybe I could make a difference on others."

"That's very noble."

"Yeah, I don't know how many clients I'll get in Charming but I figure it's worth a shot."

"Have you ever been in love?" Half-Sack's question stopped Lauren in mid bite.

"What? What do you mean?" Had someone told him about Opie? Was he trying to dig up dirt on her?

"I'm just asking because there was this girl a few months ago and I really fell for her and I just miss her. I think about her all the time," Half-Sack looked down bashfully, "I just can't get her off of my mind. Sorry this was stupid for me to bring up. I just feel like I can't talk to anyone about it."

"Hey, it's okay. That's technically what I'm here for," She paused, crossing her legs underneath herself, "But I know what you mean, and I can say from experience that it takes a while, but you just have to move on and it'll eventually be okay. And if it's meant to be it's meant to be."

"I better get started on this room," Half-Sack gathered the trash in between them and stood up, quickly followed by Lauren, "I should probably have it finished by tonight and then tomorrow I can come do the top coat."

Lauren nodded, suddenly feeling like she had crossed some kind of line, "You okay?" "Yeah. It just sucks hearing it out loud that it's time to let go."

"I know the feeling," Lauren smiled and took the trash out of his hands.

"Thanks for lunch Lauren."

"Thanks for eating with me."

* * *

><p>"Knock knock."<p>

"Jax, hi come in!" Lauren got up from behind the front counter of her office and wrapped her arms around the blonde.

"Sack finish the place up alright?"

"More than alright, it looks great. He just finished yesterday. Want to be my first client?" Lauren laughed as Jax rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"I'm not really into sharing my feelings Ren, but I did bring you this," She watched as Jax opened the bag he was carrying and pulled out of pack of papers, "It's that thing I told you about. The manuscript my dad wrote."

Lauren nodded, taking the manuscript into her own hands, "You sure you want me reading this?"

"Yeah, I gave it to Tara to check out but I want a club kid to read it you know, we have a different perspective. Just don't tell anyone 'kay?"

"You're secret's safe with me," Lauren paused looking Jax up and down, "You sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, fine. You stopping by Bobby's party tonight?" Lauren followed behind Jax as he walked out the front of her office.

"Um I wasn't really thinking about it but yeah I guess I might stop by."

"You really should Ren," Jax wrapped his arms around the brunette, "It'll be a good time."

"I will, I will," Lauren mumbled against the taller man's chest and then pulled away to watch him climb on his motorcycle, neither of them noticing the heavily tattooed man standing two stores down who had been watching them the whole time.

* * *

><p>"You can do this, you can do this. You've done this and been here before," Lauren flipped down the visor in her car and slid the mirror open checking her reflection one last time before taking her key out of the ignition and stepping out of her car.<p>

"Well well well, look what the cat dragged in," Gemma lit a cigarette and passed it to Lauren who shook it off.

"Trying to quit."

Gemma laughed at the younger girl and put her arm around her shoulder, "Good for you, just don't tell me you gave up drinking too."

"Nah Gem, I can still drink with the best of them don't you worry."

"That's what I like to hear."

* * *

><p>"So you like the office? You think the paint looks good? You like it?" Half-Sack asked, handing Lauren another beer.<p>

"Sack," Lauren laughed, accepting the drink, "You worry too much. I love it, you did great."

He nodded his head rapidly and wiped down the already spotless bar, "I just, the guys said it had to be perfect."

"And it is. You can calm down. I'm not gonna bite you."

Lauren looked nervously around the room, taking another sip of her beer, "He's out front."

"I wasn't looking for him."

"Okay."

Lauren didn't have time to ask him how he knew about her and Opie, when they were interrupted by the sound of the boys hollering outside

"Looks like Bobby's home," he said with a lopsided grin forming on his face joining Lauren on her side of the bar, "C'mon, let's go welcome him home."

She had seen a lot of homecomings being part of SAMCRO, but in all of her life she didn't think she had ever seen one like this. The smug looks on the guys faces as some woman let Bobby out of the ATF van, it was like they were all in paradise.

"That's Stahl. She wants all of our nuts," Sack whispered into her ear, nodding towards the woman, who hadn't taken her eyes off of Lauren since she had arrived. "Good thing you only have one. She's freaking me out," Lauren quickly walked away from the group and grabbed a beer from one of the ice buckets.

"You okay?"

Lauren spun around at the voice coming from behind her and nearly choked on her drink, "Um yeah. I'm fine."

"I noticed you walked away from the group pretty fast," Opie ran a hand over the side on his face and looked at the ground.

"That Stahl chick was giving me a mean mug."

"That's how she looks at all of us," Lauren nodded, biting her lip, "Look I'm sorry."

"You don't have to-"

"Yeah I do. I was an ass."

"Opie-" But before Lauren could continue a new pair of head lights pulled into the TM parking lot catching everyone's attention. Opie walked over behind Clay while Lauren followed slowly behind him, watching an older man get out of the car and stand before Clay, "Who is that?"

Opie only shrugged and took a step back positioning himself directly in front of Lauren completely blocking her from the man she suddenly recognized as Ethan Zoebelle, the cigar shop owner from two stores down from her own.

"We feel it would be best for all concerned if you stopped dealing arms to the One-Niners and the Mayans," Lauren could hear him say.

Clay and the rest of the Sons up front laughed at Zoebelle, "I don't even know what you're talking about, we're just mechanics and Harley lovers," She then saw her father lean over to Clay and say something she couldn't quite catch, "Expensive car, helluva suit, all your teeth, you must be the top of the Arian food chain huh?"

"What you do for a living is between you an your maker, I'm not here to adjust your moral compass. This is just a reality check, you're a criminal and you're done selling guns to color," Zoebelle smiled smugly, watching as Tig to pulled his gun out, causing Lauren to instinctively move forward only to be stopped by Opie's strong arm coming out from behind him, keeping her in her place, "What are you going to shoot me, Mr. Trager? With all these witnesses?"

"Look uh, I don't know what Darby told ya, and I don't know what your angle is, but let me be real clear, nobody threatens SAMCRO and nobody tells us what we can and can't do. Black, brown or white. So why don't you just climb back into your German clown car and drive back to Nazi town. Cause the next time you piss all over my shoes, he will kill ya, and I don't give a shit how many witnesses there are."

Lauren watched as her father and Happy followed Zoebelle's car from the lot still standing behind Opie's tall frame, "What the hell just happened?"

Opie shook his head and turned to face her, "No clue."

"I think I'm gonna head home. Had enough fun for one night," Lauren tucked a dark piece of hair behind her ear and looked down at the ground.

"You good to drive?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine. I'll see you around."

"Okay. Be safe," Lauren nodded and started off to her car, but turned around when Opie called out to her, "Hey Lauren?"

"Yeah?"

She watched as he looked behind him at the party and then back to her, "I'm sorry for all the phone calls."

A smile made it's way to her lips as she climbed into her car, "Like I said earlier, you don't have to apologize Opie. It's fine. We're all going through some tough shit right now."

"Juice!"

"Hey man, what's up?" Juice looked away from the croweater who was currently sitting on his lap over to where Opie had sat down next to him.

"I need you to look some shit up for me."

Juice nodded eagerly, "Yeah man no problem. What do you need to know?"

"This stays between me and you?" Opie pointed between them and Juice nodded again, "I need to know everything and anything that Lauren has done since she left Charming."

"Lauren Trager?"

"The one and only."

"Yeah you got it man. I'll do it first thing in the morning."

Opie shook hands with the Puerto Rican and got up from the seat next to him, he needed to find out what brought Lauren Trager back to Charming.

* * *

><p><strong>an: so we meet again at another end of an Always chapter, borrowed the Zoebelle and Clay scene from the actual show, so don't go suing me. I hope you all liked this chapter! Special shout out to all of those who review, keep it coming, I love it to death. Also go check out Reckless One if you haven't already, I posted a new chapter tonight. So GO REVIEW right meow and you'll forever have a place in my heart!**


	9. Dark Paradise

_Every time I close my eyes, it's like a dark paradise. No one compares to you I'm scared that you won't be waiting on the other side.- Lana Del Rey_

* * *

><p><strong>The Present.<strong>

When she got back to her small home from the clubhouse, she walked straight to her bedroom taking off her clothes piece by piece, leaving a trail of clothes from her hallway up to her bed then once stripped down to her underwear she slowly crawl in, throwing her phone on the nightstand next to her. She couldn't help but wonder where all the time had gone tonight. How could it possibly be almost two in the morning already?

As her head hit the pillow it was instantly consumed of thoughts of Opie. She couldn't believe he had actually talked to her tonight, willingly. It was strange standing behind him tonight when Zoebelle arrived; it was like he could sense her every move, and when her father drew his gun, Opie knew she would make a move, knew she would try to protect her dad. It was like no time had passed at all. It sent a shiver up and down her spine and made her pull the covers tighter against herself. She missed him more than he'd ever know.

It felt like she had only been asleep for a few minutes when she woke up with a start, but with a quick glance of her clock she realized it had been almost two hours, now if only she could find her phone in the room's darkness.

"Hello?"

"Lauren? It's David Hale, sorry for having to call you at this time of the morning, but I'm going to need you come down to your office. There was a break in."

"I'll be there in a few minutes," She bolted up in bed, searching in the darkness for clothes, throwing on a SAMCRO sweatshirt that one of the guys must have left when they were helping her move in. She grabbed her keys and was out the door faster than she knew was possible.

"What happened?" Lauren asked Hale as she shut her car door and walked up to the front of her office, her jaw dropping at the scene as she turned to look at Hale. Police were canvassing her tiny office from front to back and she had to fight back tears when she looked at it again. Someone had smashed all of her glass windows out of the front of the office.

"We don't know. We got alerted from the alarm company. Did you have any client files in there?"

She shook her head, her hand covering her open mouth, "No I haven't even officially opened yet."

"There's more."

Her eyes went wide, what else could these vandals have done to her little office? Hale motioned for her to follow him into the front room of the office. Then she saw it, on the perfectly painted turquoise walls that Half-Sack had taken so much time on, in blood red spray paint:

_First your office, next is you._

She felt like she was going to vomit and cry at the same time, she had to get out of here now, she had to call the club.

"Pick up, pick up, pick up," She prayed as she dialed her father's number only to get sent to voicemail. She called Jax next getting the same result, apparently Bobby's homecoming party had got the best of both of them. So she said a silent pray to herself, took a depth breath and did something she thought she'd never do again. She called Opie.

"Hello?" She could tell that he too had been asleep when she dialed his number, but at least he had answered.

"I need your help."

"What's wrong?"

"Someone broke into my office on Main, they left a note. Opie no one is picking up-" She could hear him shuffle around in his room and cuss under his breath when she could only guess he ran into something in the dark.

"Give me 5 minutes and I'll be there."

She could hear his Harley as she finished answering Hale's questions and she silently pulled herself together while simultaneously pulling the SAMCRO sweatshirt tighter around her body when his bike pulled up in front of her office.

"What happened?"

She shook her head, still fighting back tears, "Someone shattered all the windows and then they left this," she lead him inside and pointed to the wall letting him take in the scene before she turned around to face away from him finally letting out a sobbing gasp. As she continued to cry she could feel his warm arms wrap around her and his chin rest on top of her head as his hand rubbed circles on her back.

"We need to go to the clubhouse. Call Half-Sack and tell him we're coming, I'll wake the guys up when we get there."

"Okay, I'll follow you there," Lauren nodded, rubbing her hands beneath her eyes collecting the remaining tears, "Hey Opie, Thank you-"

"You didn't even have to ask."

* * *

><p>When they got to the club house Opie told her to start some coffee and see if they had any breakfast food to start making while he went around and woke up the other members who were lying around the clubhouse.<p>

"There better be a good fucking reason why you're waking me up at the ass crack of dawn Ope," She could hear her father say as he rounded the corner into the kitchen, "Laur, what're you doing here?"

He stopped in his tracks when he saw the dark circles around her blood shot eyes, fresh tears brimming at her eye lids, but she bit her lip and willed herself not to cry once again as she handed him a mug of coffee but said nothing, only turning back to pour more cups of coffee for the other men approaching the kitchen.

She watched as Opie walked in the kitchen whispering to Clay, both of them followed quickly by Jax who ignored the other men in the kitchen and went straight for her. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and she buried her face into his chest as his whispered into her ear, "I'm sorry Ren, I shoulda picked up the phone."

She nodded against his chest and wrapped her arms tighter around his waist, missing the longing look that Opie was shooting the pair from across the kitchen as he stood still talking to Clay.

"Church. Now," Clay said, causing Jax to pull away from her and the rest of the men to start heading into the Chapel, but Clay stayed in the kitchen with Lauren, "You too kid. We need to know all the details."

She stood in front of the church doors the whole time as she relived the night. Explaining how Hale had called her and told her that she needed to come to her office right away that someone had broken in. When she got to Main Street she saw her windows smashed in and the Hale walked her into her office and on her walls in that gruesome red paint was the note from someone unknown. She then immediately called her father and Jax neither of who answered and then finally called Opie.

"That's all I know. And before you ask, I haven't had any run-ins with anyone. I'm never even at my office past six," She took a deep breath and watched as Clay nodded and the men at the table looked around at each other.

"Until we figure out who is behind this, we're going to have to assume they're watching you and it's not safe for you to go home. Sack'll clear out one of the dorms and then take you to get the things you need," Clay nodded at Half-Sack, who instantly got up from his seat heading into the main room, "Until further notice you're staying here. Don't go anywhere without a Son."

She nodded silently, still clutching at her sweat jacket and looked over to her father who spoke up, "Laur, we're gonna figure out who did this, and I'm gonna gut them. No one threatens part of this family."

She nodded again, as he got up and wrapped his arms around her and the rest of the men nodded in agreement, but she quickly pulled away when she felt her phone vibrate in her jacket pocket, "It's Unser," She let go of her father completely and quietly left the Chapel.

"Hello?"

"Hey Lauren, did I wake you? None of the guys are picking up their phone's."

"No I've been up for a while," Lauren yawned and leaned up against the pool table, "What's up? Is it about my office?"

"Uh no. Hale is heading that investigation. I need you to find Jax and Clay. It's important, Gemma… Gemma was in a car accident."

* * *

><p><strong>an: yikes! sorry this chapter is so short, I just wanted to crank out another chapter for y'all to read sooner rather than later. Anyway the title of this chapter is a song from Lana Del Rey and it basically is the song of Lauren and Opie I've decided. If you haven't listened to her stuff go do it now it's fabulous. On another note I should have an update of Reckless One out by this weekend and I'm currently working on a re-write of Human, it'll be a new name but it will still involve Juice and Kate so I hope you all like the idea of that, you best let me know! So with out further ado GO REVIEW right meow, and I'll love you forever and ever!**


	10. Chasing Cars

_Forget what we're told, before we get too old, show me a garden that's bursting into life. All that I am, and all that I ever was is here in your perfect eyes, they're all I can see._

**The Present.**

"Hey Sack?" Lauren called to the Prospect who was cleaning invisible marks off the bar, "I'm going to Tara's something came up. Do not follow me."

"But you're not supposed to go anywhere without one of us-"

"Please trust me, I'll be fine," Lauren grabbed her keys off the table and headed for the door, "I'll text you when I get there. I'll take the heat from the guys when they find out you lost me."

He didn't have a chance to respond as he watched a whirlwind of black hair rush out the club house door, just as the other members started to come out of church.

"Prospect, where's Laur at?" Jax walked over to the bar and watched as Half-Sack looked down quietly at the bar.

"Umm, I think Hale called, she just ran out, didn't say anything except that if I tried to follow her she'd cut my remaining nut off," Half-Sack lied as he looked away from his VP and felt his prepay vibrate in his pocket.

"Jesus Christ Sack! You had one job." Jax backed away from the bar, "I'm just gonna have to call her then."

Half-Sack took a moment to slowly pull his phone out and look at it from under the bar.

_Made it in one piece. Turning my phone off. Call you when I can._

He took a deep breath as he heard Jax cuss assuming he had only gotten her voicemail. This girl was gonna get him killed.

* * *

><p>Lauren brushed her hair out of her eyes as she quietly entered Tara's small house and moved towards the kitchen where Tara was nursing a cup of coffee, "What the hell happened?"<p>

Tara only shook her head and took another sip from the mug, "She's in the bathroom," She whispered, "Unser went to go make it look like she crashed her car. She's a mess Lauren. A mess. She won't admit it but I know it happened."

Both women turned as the heard the bathroom door open and Gemma appear at in the hallway. Lauren walked out to meet her, "Oh mama, I can't believe this happened to you."

Gemma nodded and limped over to the couch, "You call the newspaper too, doc?"

"Gem, you have to tell Clay and the club. Something big is going on, something not good at all," She paused getting no response out of the older woman, "Someone vandalized my office tonight, left a note saying that first was the office next was me. It had to be the same people who came after you."

"It's not about us, baby," Gemma reached out and touched Lauren's hand, "It's about the club. They want to use us to send a message to the club, and that's not gonna happen. We're gonna drop this and pretend we don't know nothing about it."

Lauren shook her head incredulously at her, but wasn't able to respond when Tara walked back into the living room, "Unser is back, let's get you to the hospital."

The two younger women helped Gemma up off the couch and led her to the door. It was going to be a long day.

* * *

><p>"Ren!" Jax shouted as he practically ran down the hospital hallway, "What's going on no one is telling us anything, and you can't just run away like earlier, we're on high fucking alert."<p>

"I don't need you yelling at me right now Jackson," Lauren quickly twisted around, throwing her hair back into a ponytail, "I just know she wrecked her car off of I-9. She is in with Tara right now."

Jax nodded running a hand through his hair, "Things just keep getting worse Lauren."

"Yeah, you're telling me," The both turned and met up with the rest of the Sons as Tara came out of the exam room.

"She's pretty beaten up, the air bag went off so she's got bruises pretty much everywhere, but otherwise-" Tara took a deep breath, "Otherwise, I think she'll be just fine. She doesn't want to see anyone just yet. She's still pretty shaken up."

* * *

><p>"Hey Ope, can I get at you for a minute?" Juice walked up to Opie holding a manila folder in hand, "Alone?"<p>

Opie followed the Puerto Rican to an empty hallway, "What's up?"

"I looked up everything I could on Lauren and here's what I found," He cleared his throat, "After she left Charming she moved up to Seattle, went to school there, graduated in four years with a major in Psychology and then she went on and got a PhD."

Juice took a breath as Opie nodded and then continued, "She met a guy while she was getting the PhD, name is Will Sterling, real prick name if you as me. Went to University of Washington, was in a frat, really pretty boy. He's a dentist, just opened a new dentistry."

"Anything else?"

Juice bit his lip and sighed before talking again, "Uh right around before Lauren came back to town she was admitted to the Seattle Hospital, Kozik apparently was there he paid for her medical bills. But she was admitted with a bunch of cuts and bruises, two black eyes and a fractured rib. Looks like he beat the shit out of her. She stayed in Tacoma with Koz until the whole- everything happened."

Juice took a step back and tried handing Opie the file he had put together on Lauren, but Opie just shook it off, "Burn it." And without thinking twice he took off down the hospital hallway.

* * *

><p>"Can we talk?" After having a few, well maybe more than a few drinks, Opie had found himself back at the clubhouse, standing in the doorway of the bathroom watching Lauren wash her face.<p>

She turned around, grabbing the towel next to the sink and patted her face dry, "What's up?"

"Were you every going to tell me about him?"

"What are you talking about?"

Lauren went to move around him, but as she tried to leave the room he caught her elbow, "Don't try that shit with me, Ren. You know exactly what I'm talking 'bout."

"It's none of your business," Lauren looked up at him and whispered, "It doesn't even matter."

"It matters to me," Opie said still not letting go of her arm.

"Opie-"

"Stay with me."

Lauren quickly snapped back, "That would be a bad, bad idea."

"Please Laur," He took a step closer to her and she could smell the whiskey on his breath, "Please it would be, it could be so good. Just like it was."

"Opie, it won't ever be like it was."

"But we could try."

"Ope, you need to go to bed. It's been a long horrible day," Lauren put a hand on his chest, trying to put space between the two of them, while Opie continued to try and get closer.

"It's been a long horrible year," Opie finally brushed her hand away from him and stood even closer to her than before, "Come with me to bed. You have to stay at the clubhouse either way. Lauren, please."

Lauren sigh and touched the ends of her long braided hair, "If, I say if I stay with you, there will be no touching or kissing and absolutely no sex."

"I think I drink too much Ren," Opie leaned up against the door, closing his eyes, and ran a hand down his face. Lauren moved under his arm and started walking him to his room,

"Me too."

"So you're coming in?" Opie asked as they opened his door and she nodded, "We can just lay there. Together. Just like the old times."

Lauren sighed and shut the door behind her, "Yeah, just like the old times."

_If I lay here, if I just lay here, would you lie with me and just forget the world.- Snow Patrol_

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I'm back from the dead! I guess you can blame the newest episode for my sudden burst of inspiration plus my sudden lack of boys in my life to keep me busy haha but anyway it's short but an update is an update. I can't promise a date for the next update but hopefully it'll be soon and I'm really really really going to try to update my other stories this weekend! And please please please please please go review and tell me that you are all hopefully still reading this! love you all! GO REVIEW right meow!<strong>


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